The One
by Dragemenian jew
Summary: As a new horror spreads over the DOA-tournament the contestants sees no other way then seeking Ryu and Ayanes old friend Takamachis advice. But can he save them from a evil older then time itself? Mana x Kaede, Ryu x Bayman, Ayane x Kasumi.
1. Chapter 1

AN: Hello fans! This is my first crossover and I can admit I am rather nervous about it. Very, very nervous... At first I was not quit sure where to put it since this is gonna have a lot of different elements in it. Horror, humor, action, romance... And will warn you that this is a story consisting from yuri and yaoi-pairings mainly so have a problem with either of it... I´m gonna quote my friend TripleScoopProductions "Fluff off!"

Will also warn that this will contain, death, violence and "ahem" adult situations (it is M-rated for a reason) so after receiving your warning... read and enjoy!

* * *

**"A new threat…"**

_**Fear not for darkness, fear not for pain. **_

_**Fear not for night, fear not for death…**_

_**Fear not, for if you do, you shall not live to see tomorrow. **_

"This is not good enough", the black haired ninja sighed.

Kaede had been practicing for almost two hours and was still not satisfied with her results. Although her ninpo-powers had improved hugely, the last year it was still nothing comparing to the goals she had set up for herself.

Kaede had always wanted to live up to the name of her family, the honor of her clan… and seeing as she was now technically the bodyguard of the son of the thousand master, her best would simply not be "good enough" anymore.

She sighed. Her best would have to be "good enough" for now. One never reached good results when over practicing and her English-lesson was about to start in ten minutes.

_._

"This is not good enough" the dark blond ninja sighed. Ryu had been unusually unfocused the last days and he didn´t quit know why.

Making a knife hit the tree had never been a problem to him before since he was… well the one singular super ninja.

"Ryu-sama!"

Ryu turned around, facing the lilac haired girl.

"Ayane", the super ninja looked at the young girl.

Ayane turned around, looking at the practically slaughtered tree.

"Give it up now", she said, "you´ve been at this for hours".

"I know", the super ninja frowned, "but something doesn´t quit stick".

"Ryu-sama", Ayane looked him in the eyes, with an almost troubled expression, "give it a break! You´ll need that energy for that fight this evening. So you can finally teach that Russian imbecile a lesson", and gone was all the softness from her face, replaced by that, good old Ayane, smirk, " he really needs to learn his place in this world!"

"It´s not good manners talking about your opponents that way", Ryu reprimanded her. _And he´s not a imbecile, in fact he is…_

Ryu almost smiled when thinking about those blue eyes, the smile that was hardly ever visible, but once it was… truly the cutest smile in the whole DOA-tournament…

"I´m sorry", Ayane turned right back into the humble side, she always showed when being around Ryu and Hayate.

"Enough talked about that", the super ninja said calmly, "have you prepared for yours yet?"

"I have", Ayane said, giving that self confident, half smile again, "though this will be a easy one",

"Underestimating once opponents can easily become ones fall", Ryu warned her, "who are you fighting?"

"Hitomi but she..."

"She´s improved a lot since last tournament so I wouldn´t take a win for sure. She did defeat your brother, remember".

"Yes", Ayane gave a nod that almost looked like a bow.

"Ryu-sama!"

The red headed girl ran into the forest.

"Kasumi-san", Ryu looked at the blue clad ninja.

Ayane and Kasumi looked each other into the eyes, Kasumis eyes, wide and slight confused, the look in Ayanes eyes more like burning, daggers (yes, _burning, _daggers) then anything else. They only eyed each other for a breef moment before Ayane looked back at Ryu.

"Good luck with the fight Ryu-sama", she said before turning her back, leaving the area.

Once the lilac haired kuniochi was out of sight Ryu and Kasumi exchanged a look.

"When will she ever stop blaming me?" Kasumis face had the look of despair.

Ryu didn´t know what to say to this. Even though Kasumi had been allowed enterens to the mugen-tenshin village after the last tournament, and even though Ayane had been the one stopping Kasumi from going into the flames, rescuing Helena (who fortunately had been saved by Zack instead), Ayane seemed unable to forgive Kasumi. For what? Leaving the village?

"No matter what I say to her she always seems to…", Kasumi left the sentence hanging.

"Don´t think about it", Ryus said, "you did nothing wrong".

"I know", Kasumi sighed, "but somehow I feel that I..."

"Whatever it is, it´s none of your doing", Ryu interrupted her, "we can never change others then ourselves and if Ayane-san has decided to hold grudge, there´s nothing you can do other then wait for it to pass, and it will pass. No one has the patience nor the stamina to hold on to it forever".

Ryu knew a rare few that didn´t fit into that description, but those were not what one could call _people_. Hopefully Ayane did belong to the _people. _

"Don´t think about it anymore", Ryu put a hand on the girls shoulder, "look at me! You are a strong, determined, person who´s done as well as she could during the circumstances, and if there´s someone who can´t take that in, it´s their lose. Now", Ryus toned turned into a more professional one, " it´s time to prepare for your match. You´re fighting Jann Lee today, aren´t you?"

Kasumi nodded.

"Then first of I´d advise you to…"

Ryu slipped his arm around the girls shoulder as he told her about his long time opponents weaknesses. He had no doubt Kasumi would easily win this match, but underestimating ones opponents had always proved to be a crucial mistakes and he´d make sure his friend would not make that mistake.

_._

"So your homework until tomorrow will be page twenty-five to thirty-five", the small boy said, looking at the 31 girls in front of him.

"Negi you can´t mean that!" the redheaded girl with the piggy tails, exclaimed, "That´s ten pages!"

"Don´t use that tone to Negi-sensei, Asuna", the girl with the long, blond hair, called out, "you really are a idiot!"

"Shut up, blondi!" Asuna called out, rising from her seat.

"You dare speaking to me this way?" Ayaka rose from her chair as well, pointing at the other girl.

Kaede closed her ears as the two raised their voices. Even if the sky went down in their heads these two would never stop making up matters to argue about. It seemed like… a way of life to them. Luckily, Kaedes way of life had made her able to shut it out.

Instead she looked a slight, row at her left in the classroom, at the girl with the waist long hair. Manas brown eyes were focused on the blackboard as usual, looking at it as if though it was one of her usual shooting-targets.

_That is true, beauty. _Kaede put her hand under her chin as she observed the other girl in silence.

With her tall, slender build, tanned skin and long, black hair Mana was truthfully the most beautiful girl in class. Kaede´d had her eyes on her as long as she could remember, watching her every movement. Mana hardly ever said a word and from where she was sitting now it seemed she was only coldly, analyzing what was going on in front of the black board.

Asuna was holding Ayaka by the collar, the class rep, roughly, shaking the other girl by the shoulders, Negi standing in between, trying to keep the girls apart but to no avail.

"I´m going to show you!" Asuna called out, "smart mouth!"

"You are such a ape!" Ayaka exclaimed.

"You all know what to do for tomorrow", Negi looked up between the two girls, with a smile glued to his face, "see you tomorrow at eight o´clock!"

Kaede saw Mana, rising from her seat, her long hair falling down her back, as she started walking. As she turned her back Kaede couldn´t help wondering how it´d feel, slipping her fingers threw that hair. It looked so soft, so…

"Aren´t you coming Kaede-san?"

Kaede woke up from her fantasies, looking up at the small, red headed twins, Fuuka and Fuumika.

"Of course", Kaede said, putting on a smile, "walking club time".

"Yes!" the two twins exclaimed in chorus, making a high, leap.

Kaede followed the two out, leaving Negi to his destiny. She knew from experience that Asuna and Ayaka couldn´t be at it, _all _day. But as she walked out of the classroom she threw the girl behind her one last look.

Manas eyes looked straight forwards, as if though they didn´t notice anything safe for that invisible target. _What am I really expecting? _Kaede shrugged her shoulders as she went out of the room.

_._

Ryu watched as Kasumi and Jann Lee circled around each other. Even though the kung fu fighter was both fast and strong, he would have to make quit a come back if he´d be able to win this one.

"I bet fifty bucks on Kasumi!" Zack exclaimed on the other side.

"I´m not betting with you!" Bass, the large prow-wrestler answered.

Since Doatec had been burnt to the ground last year, the DOA-tournament hadn´t been quit the same. Now the matches, although held in rather spectacular environments didn´t have that same element of threats to them and not one singular contestant had been seriously injured this tournament. This year around, the contestants had been allowed to watch each others fights. Helena Douglas had indeed changed the tournament forever, if it was for better or worse, Ryu didn´t know.

"Come on, Jann Lee! You can do it!" Lei fang yelled from where she stood, leaning against the fence.

The stage Jann Lee and Kasumi were fighting on was one that looked more like a ruin of a Greece temple then anything else. The floors as well as the pillars around it were in marble and statues of ancient gods and goddesses were standing on the sides.

_It indeed wasn´t a small amount of money, Helena gained, _Ryu thought as Kasumi and Jann Lee circled around each other. One could clearly see that Jann Lee was tired.

The kung fu fighter used to jump around as if though he´d had to many energy drinks and yelling out, these strange kind of sounds that´d almost give his opponents a head ache. But now the black haired man was quiet, his feet close to motionless.

He threw a straight punch that Kasumi easily caught in her palm, putting her other hand on his neck as she kicked him into another one of the statues. The kung fu fighter didn´t even get time to recover as the red head came at him, delivering a series of punches into his face and stomach. One more kick to the face and Jann Lee fell unconscious to the ground.

"Damn it!" Ryu heard a familiar voice mutter.

He turned around, seeing Ayane, with an irritated look on her face, putting a bunch of money into the hand of the grinning Zack.

The super ninja shook his head. He didn´t know if it was at Zacks constant ways of profiting from everything, or at Ayanes constant ways of showing her dislike of her sister.

"Good work Kasumi!" Ryu slapped Kasumi on the shoulder as she passed by.

"Thank you", the red head nodded, "it was a difficult challenge".

From what Ryu´d seen it didn´t look as if though it´d been a particularly "difficult" challenge, but knowing Kasumi she´d say anything not to sound overconfident.

"I´m not saying this so you can ignore it one more time!"

Both Kasumi and Ryu turned around as they heard the deep voice. Ryus face hardened as he saw Leon standing in front of Bayman with a furious expression on his face.

"Now I´ll only say this once! It happened six years ago. Now get it over with and get a life!" Leon roared.

If Bayman was angered or hurt, he didn´t show it. He just looked back at the other man with a reserved, motionless almost indifferent expression on his face.

_I feel so sorry for you. _Ryu thought as he kept watching the scene.

"This is pathetic", Leon snorted, "this is a behavior worthy of a five year old. You need help!"

For some reason Ryu felt the enormous urge to run forwards and punch Leon in the face. Seriously, one simply didn´t say these things. Not to Bayman…

Ryu looked back at the Russian assassin. If Bayman was thirty years like he said, it indeed didn´t show. His tanned face was smooth, without the slightest sign of wrinkles, his hair the darkest shade of black and his large blue eyes…

For a breef second it seemed, Ryu could see some fragility in those eyes, an almost hurt expression. But it disappeard as fast as Bayman opened his mouth.

"And you´re really the right person to say that", Baymans voice was calm, "last time I checked you were hearing those voices, telling you, you had to go look for a hidden messages in the sand and now you´re telling me _I _need help".

"That was the…" Leons face was so tensed, he couldn´t get the words out of his lips, "you...!"

_You´d just dare touching him_! Ryu thought as he followed the Italians movements, ready to jump in if Leon´d try anything.

"Tough boy indeed", Baymans said calmly, before slowly turning his back, leaving the scene.

The Italian mercenary starred at him with a dumbfounded expression, still with Ryus eyes on him.

"Shall we go", Kasumi said discretely, putting a hand on his shoulder.

Ryu watched in silence as Leon, slowly turned around, walking past them both. First when the large man was out of sight the super ninja could relax again. If Leon as much as tried anything against Bayman…

"Those two", Kasumi shook her head after Leon´d passed them by.

_No, just Leon…_

"I wonder how long they will be at this", Kasumi kept on.

_As long as Leon keeps being an ass and Bayman keeps telling himself there´s a meaning with all this. _

"Who knows", Ryu shrugged his shoulders, "let´s go find your brother".

"Let´s go", Kasumi nodded.

_._

"_How is the search going so far?"_

"_Well, mistress."_

"_Have you found the one yet that I sent you to find?_

"_Not yet but soon…"_

"_Well. But don´t let it take to long"_

"_No mistress. I´ll soon be there… this place reeks of fear."_

"_Feed well my child but don´t forget your true purpose. And pick your food… remember, some are not only for your pleasure. As long as you leave me the "one" take anyone or as many as you wish"._

"_I shall my queen and you shall receive the "one" in due time". _

"_Now go my child and I shall see you soon again"._

"_Goodbye my queen". _

__.__

"How is it going master?" the blond, gynoid eyed the little vampire girl with a concerned expression.

"I feel some disturbance in the sfere", Evangeline frowned.

Chachamaru gave out a soundless sigh, when her master had that look on her face, something was seriously wrong. Evangeline was hardly every worried or distressed, in fact she seemed to take even the biggest danger with a shrug on her shoulders.

And to make matters worse, Evangeline had had that look on her faces for a whole week.

"Whatever it is", the little vampire turned into her normal, collected self, "it should hope for it own sake that it never sets foot here".

Chachamaru grew calmer for a while, but not remarkably. Somehow she felt this "disturbance" to.

"Well, Chachamaru", Evangeline said calmly, " I think it´s time for some club activity. Shall we put on the tea".

"Yes, master", Chachamaru nodded, walking into the kitchen. Whatever this "disturbance" was, it was not going to ruin the highlight of her day.

As the gynoid turned her back towards the vampire, she did something one hardly ever saw her do. _My master,_ the gynoid thought as her whole face, lit up, _you shall receive my best tea hitherto. _

_._

Jann Lee made his way threw the forest. He´d lost! Yes, lost once again. No matter what he´d do it seemed he´d never be one of the strongest in this competition. So far he´d lost to Tina, Zack and now Kasumi…

He hadn´t won one match so far. And now he wondered… was it because everyone else grew stronger or simply because he was turning into something weak and pathetic?

"Hello there boy! Feel like a spare?"

Jann Lee turned around, seeing the tall, black haired man, standing with his white shirt and black pants, behind him.

Jann Lee stiffened immediately. How had the man managed in getting here without making a sound?

"Don´t you recognize me boy?" the man chuckled, giving a smirk.

Jann Lee shivered as he remembered it. How could he forget?

The shouts at the restaurant, the slaps in the face, as the waiter chased the seven year old boy out of the restaurant.

"Remember my promise boy", the man grinned, evilly.

And Jann Lee, remembered the very last words, the man´d uttered before he left the restaurant behind.

"If I´ll ever see you again I´ll kill you", the man chuckled, "and now…" he shrugged his shoulders, " it seems we meet again".

Jann Lee looked paralyzed at the sight. This was not… this was not possible… it had been almost twenty years since they´d last met. The man couldn´t possibly have stopped aging?

Jann Lee took a deep breath before getting into his fighting stance.

_._

Ryu took a deep breath. He´d been practicing with his weapons for yet another hour but something felt… wrong.

"Ryu…"

Ryu turned around as he heard the deep voice.

"Bayman-san", Ryu said in a tone that was unusually soft for him.

The other man looked at the ninja with a smile that´d been more and more common these last days.

"Practising?" the Russian said, looking down at the katana Ryu held in his hand.

"Yes", Ryu said in a rather serious tone.

"Just so you know…" Bayman raised a eyebrow, " we arn´t fighting with weapons!"

_Gods no! I could never attack you with a weapon! Never in my life! I´d never forgive myself if I ever…_

"Of course not!" Ryu said in a more disciplined tone, "Helena wouldn´t allow it."

_Neither would I…_

It turned quiet for a while. Ryu, looking into Baymans blue eyes.

_Whoever says this guy does not have emotions is a fool. _

As Ryu once again looked into those eyes, he noticed fragments of what he´d seen earlier today during that breef moment at the match.

"Are you alright?" Ryu heard himself saying after a while.

"What?" Bayman frowned.

_Ryu Hayabusa, you´re the worlds biggest idiot__. After all this time in this tournament, haven´t you learned that Bayman is the last contestant to ask this question_?

"Why wouldn´t I be alright?" the expression on Baymans face was surprised, but not the normal hostile one, one would expect when asking this question.

_Because you´re hanging around that bastard who does nothing but insult you…_

"Well…" Ryu tried his best to think of something to say, as Bayman regarded him with an almost soft, expression on his face, "when I saw you at the match today…"

"Aaaaaaaaaaah!"

A loud shriek interrupted the moment, making both men turn around.

"Jann Lee" Ryu said in a stern voice.

Judging by the sound of that scream, Jann Lee hadn´t exactly been practicing on his kung fu and the ninja sensed that if he didn´t get there quickly, something bad was going to take place.

"I´ll go help him!" Ryus voice was resolute.

"I´ll go to!" Bayman said, to his surprise.

_._

"Goodbye Kaede-chan!" the twins sang, in chorus.

"Thanks for today!" Kaede smiled back at them, "you did well".

"See you tomorrow, Kaede-chan".

"Good bye!" Kaede gave a hand wave as the small girls, practically danced towards the school building.

Personally, Kaede was not going to bed for yet a while. She still had some more practicing to do. She had to get it _perfect… _or else she could forget all kind of rest.

But as she walked towards the would, she had a uneasy feeling in her stomach, she didn´t know what it was but it felt as if though something was about to end badly…

_Nothing but perfect will do…_she thought as she once again readied her weapons. And she didn´t know how right she would be…

_._

"_Did you enjoy your meal child?"_

"_Yes, he was young, strong and full of fear" _

"_Good. Feed until you grow stronger my child, then get me the "one". _

"_Just wait my queen, you´ll see the "one" sooner then you´ll know"._

"_Make no hast. Remember, you´ll have to go strong if this will ever work"._

"_Don´t worry my queen, I´ll grow stronger with every minute and just wait until they see the corpse". _

__.__

"Shit!" Bayman paled, as he looked down at the body in front of him.

Without thinking, Ryu placed a hand on the other mans arm. For some reason he felt he had to hold Bayman back from whatever was out there.

The super ninja looked down at the body. The corpse wasn´t particularly harmed safe for the look of complete, and utter fear in Jann Lees eyes that could have scared the bravest. The kung fu fighters brown eyes were starring widely into the air, his face muscles tensed as if though he´d given a agonized scream in his last moments.

"What is this", Ryu said in a low voice.

"Shit!" Bayman exclaimed again.

True, Bayman was an experienced assassin and had witnessed death many times before. But it was a long time since he´d witnessed death of someone he could say he actually _knew. _

"Stay back", Ryu said with a wary expression on his face, drawing his katana.

A black shadow made its way passed the trees as the ninja turned around in all possible directions.

_Your powers are inefficient against me ninja. I´d love to show you now, but you seem like a tasty one, so I shall save you for desert…_

And with those words the creature went further into the forest.

* * *

**AN: Finished reading? Want to read more? Well..., review then and I shall publish. **

**Can admit I had the worst problem writing Kaedes character but guess I´ll know her better as I´m working with her D:) Special thanks to my friend Slipkn0t who´s helped me with both info and motivation for my fic. You´re AWESOME and hope this chap didn´t dissapoint...  
**

**PS. Promise all of you there´ll be more humor in the later chapters.  
**


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: Hi so here you have your next chap! I appologize if this is not as thoroughly made as the first one, or as long for that matter but since I´m going away to France on Friday and will be gone for three weeks, I wanted to treat you with this before I went of. Happy reading!  
**

**"The threat grows bigger…"**

"We can´t let it go on this way", the face of the new mistress of Doatec was serious and the rings under her eyes clearly proved how much sleep she´d had this night.

Helena, Gen fu, Hayate and Ryu were all sitting in Helenas office, discussing the event taking place the other day.

"We have to call this competition of", Helena kept on, her facial expression making her look way older then her twenty one years.

Gen fu nodded in agreement.

"That indeed sounds like the right decision to take young one", the old man said, "we cannot risk another innocent life being taken".

Of course, every single one participating in this competition had competed with the slight chance of loosing their life. But now, with Helena being the new head of the tournament everything that could possibly lead to death had been strictly forbidden and there wasn´t a singular person in this room, not knowing why.

"Have you informed the other contestants?" Hayate asked.

Helena sighed.

"I have", she said, "and none of them took it well. His friend… Lei fang still won´t accept it and she is blaming everything and everyone for his…," Helena couldn´t get the last word out of her lips, "we have to call in all resources to find the killer, even if it means bringing the police in. We can´t let anyone capable of this run loose".

The room went dead quiet. Everyone knew what it´d mean to bring the police in.

But as they discussed the matter, they were all unaware of the eyes watching them.

"_You fools! You will need much more then that to stop me. I´m on the move now but if you´re lucky you might reveal my identity before you all… you know… vanish. But I´ve still haven´t tasted all the appetizers yet… Reminds me that I should go look for them now. _

No one noticed the black shadow as it made its way out of the window again.

_._

Kaede let her gigantic shuriken break the air once again. Her swings had already turned sharper, thanks to the long training last night. As she predicted she hadn´t got much sleep, but comparing to the progresses, what did that mean?

She made a series of movements that would have been impossible for human eyes to catch, ending with the shuriken held over her head and the other hand in front of her.

"Impressive"

Kaede turned around as she heard the familiar voice.

"Oh…thank you, I didn´t think..."

Kaede was at a loss as she looked into the brown eyes. It had to be _her _to manage in sneaking up behind Kaede that way.

Manas was looking at Kaede with the same calm and focus as usual, her eyes not giving the slightest clue to what she felt. Kaedes eyes involuntarily wandered down Manas armless shirt, staying one inch above the… _I wonder why she always wears shirts with such huge cleavages, not that I mind though but…_

"I haven´t been here long".

Kaede flinched as she heard the voice again, cursing her unawareness. But if Mana´d noticed anything she didn´t show it.

"I came to tell you that math won´t start til nine o´clock", Manas voice was toneless.

"Oh", was all Kaede could think of saying, "thanks for informing me".

"No problem".

As the tall, girl walked her way, Kaede could do nothing but stare after her, mouth and eyes wide open.

_Kaede Nagase, you´re the worlds biggest fool! _She shook her head as she went towards the school building.

_._

Ryu was in a somber mood as he went to the Dojo. He had to do something to take his mind of what´d just happened. He couldn´t for his life grasp what´d taken Jann Lees life so easily. There had been no signs whatsoever of physical damage on his body and from what Ryu reckoned, that expression on the kung fu fighters face couldn´t have been caused by a simple heart attack.

Ryu didn´t know what it was, but whatever it was he had the feeling that involving the police wouldn´t solve anything.

"Ryu-sama, what do you think we should do?" Ayane walked up beside him.

"I´m not sure yet", Ryu turned thoughtful, "but I´m sure however that this is not any regular killer we´re dealing with".

It went quiet for a while.

" Should we seek him up?" Ayane gave the super ninja a meaningful look.

"I´m not sure", Ryu thought about it for a while.

This _one_ acquaintance was one they only sought advice from when everything else fell flat and if this was one of those times…, "we don´t know what it is yet, so I suggest we wait until we know more".

Ayane nodded.

"I guess this means the match´s of then", she stated.

Ryu nodded.

"These are dangerous times", he said, "no one should wander around on their own".

_._

The dark skinned woman made her way through the forest. She´d been here for hours but still not found a single trace of Jann Lees killer.

_He has to be here somewhere, _Lisa thought as she bent down on her knees, looking extra carefully for footmarks. Lisa had been working both as a scientist, a criminology technologist and lately even as a private detective.

Even though Lisa hadn´t personally known the man she felt as if though it was her duty to solve this. Jann Lee had been a fellow DOA contestant, another innocent man victimized by Doatecs merciless schemes.

Lisa didn´t believe for one moment that the idea of the DOA-tournament had died with Donovan and if Helena was the new organizer, she had not forgotten about the original plan.

_If Jann Lee died here, _she put her foot next to the place where the corpse´d been found, _then he must have…_

Lisa jumped to her feet as she heard the familiar crash. No! It couldn´t be…

Lisa turned around, facing the green woman.

"It can´t be…" the dark skinned woman paled as she looked into the pupileless eyes of Alpha 152.

__.__

"And don´t forget English in one hour", Negi ended his speech.

The young magister drew a deep breath as the class started rising from their seats. For once two particular girls had stayed away from causing a scene.

"So Evangeline-san… what was it that you wanted to tell me?" Negi looked at the seat, three rows away from the black board.

"This is usually not a matter I´d share with you boya", the blond vampire said calmly, "but since this has been going on for quit a while, I thought you should know".

The young boy nodded seriously.

"I waited for it to go away", Evangeline kept on, "but since it seems to have decided to keep bugging us, I´ll better inform you that I´ve sensed its presence for over a week".

"What is it?" the boy looked tensed at her.

"I don´t know", the vampire said, "but it is a ancient force that grows stronger with every minute".

Negi drew a deep breath. When the otherwise so cold Evangeline was worried, she was indeed worried for a reason.

"We have to inform Takamichi", he said.

_._

"Oh dear!" Helena exclaimed as she looked down at the body.

Lisa was lying on the ground with the same expression on her face that Jann Lee was found with the other day.

"It seems our killer isn´t satisfied yet", Hayates voice said sternly.

"We have to call the police", Helena mumbled stressed, "we have to catch the killer before…"

"This", Christie looked down at the corpse, raising an eyebrow, "was probably the closest thing to a cop we had here and look how much that´s helped her".

"How can you speak about her this way?" Helena yelled out, pointing at Christie.

"Easy", the assassins voice was untouched, "I´ve seen many people in this state before".

"I doubt you´ve seen them in _this_ particular state", Hayate said seriously, looking at Lisas facial expression, "there are no signs of injury. The only sign witnessing of force is her face and it´s…"

"Poison can do a lot", Christie said, "so I wouldn´t sound that surprised if I were you".

"Yes!" Helena snorted, glaring at the Brittish woman, "you should know quit some things about poison!"

"And here we go again!" Christie raised an eyebrow, looking at the furious blond.

"So what do we do?" the forth contestant interrupted before the argument could start. Ryu looked in turn at the faces, "I do see Christies point. As I said before, involving the police won´t solving anything in this issue. To take out two such fighters as Jann Lee and Lisa you have to be something more then ordinary yourself and to keep matters simple, there aren´t even many professionals measuring up to that skill".

It went quiet for a while.

"So who or rather what, are we dealing with?" Hayate looked at his best friend.

"That is the question", the super ninja said thoughtfully.

_._

Mana walked passed the corridors. Her day at school was finally over and at last she could return to her room.

As usual the corridors were filled with giggling, laughing girls that spoke in each others mouths and as usual, all their talk seemed to be about Negi.

_Ridiculous, _Mana thought as she opened the door to her room. The boy was about half their age and they only half knew him. Yet they spoke of him as if though he was already the man of their lives.

She sat down on her bed, taking of her socks. Her last school had been so different. She closed her eyes as she thought back of her old magister, remembering his smile as he said "Well done Tatsumyia! You´ve done best out of everyone so far".

She wondered where he was now, if he was still… She didn´t dare thinking the word _alive…_ _Enough pondering about the past!_ Mana went to her locker, looking at the many guns she kept there.

_This one will do today._ She took the AK47 out of the locker, closing it again carefully. Nothing took trouble away as well as a good hit. She opened the door, leaving the school building for the fourth time this day.

_._

"For the last bloody time! We have nothing more to say or do to each other!" the large man in the turban roared, "just go your damn way and bother someone else with your nonsense talk!"

Bayman looked calmly at his long time rival, if rival was what one could really call him.

"I´m not here to annoy you with my sick, obsessive attitude", Bayman gave a smirk, "I just want to ask you this one thing".

"You know you won´t stop at one question!" Leon muttered, "you´ve asked plenty already and the answer is no! "

Bayman snorted. God only knew why he still tried. Leon was like the desert he so loved, strong, constant and completely locked to everything that involved change!

"Good", Bayman shrugged his shoulders, "I get that! But just a simple question. Is it true that you´ve never said one single word that you didn´t mean?"

It went silent for a while, Leon looking at Bayman for a while with his eyes wide open.

"So that means you´re either lying right now or that you lied back then?" Baymans voice was gentle, but even the most ignorant person would have heard the razor underneath it, "that was all I wanted to know. The meeting starts in five minutes so I´ll let you and your dwelling get some alone time".

The dark haired man turned his back, leaving the once again dumbfounded Leon behind him.

"Damn boy!" the Italian mercenary shook his head, his voice more gentle then it used to be.

_._

"I guess this confirms it then", Gen fu said seriously, "this tournament has to end this moment. For two such young people to end their lives this way… and judging by how no normal person could have committed this".

All contestants safe for Kokoro, Eliot, Hitomi, Lei fang, Bass, Tina and Zack were sitting in Helenas office discussing the new turn the case had taken.

_I guess we have to seek him up then, _Ryu thought as he looked at the elderly man. He´d hoped it wouldn´t come to this but judging by how quickly two contestants had already lost their lives, the whole crew would be dead in a week if he didn´t do something quickly.

He exchanged one look with Ayane, who gave a slight nod.

"I don´t think most of you are going to like this", the super ninja said seriously, "but as I see it there´s only one thing left to do".

"And that would be what?" Leon snorted all of a sudden, rising to his feet, "use some of your ninpo powers and blow this whole area to pieces".

"I´m not here to argue", Ryu faced the other man with a neutral expression on his face, "I´m here to solve this situation and with the situation we have here…"

"You talk all you want!" the large man spat, "I know what you´re all good for anyway! Do some magic, wave your hands in the air, blow some things apart and right before we know it we´ll have 17 new corpses lying on the ground".

"If you have a better suggestion yourself", Helenas tone as well as eyes were sharp, "you may very well share it with the rest of us, Leon. Because as you see we aren´t exactly drowning in them".

To Ryus surprise that shut the other man up, leaving Leon with a shocked expression in his face.

_That hopefully teaches him a lesson, _Ryu thought. Lately the mercenary had brought the super ninja to levels of irritation he´d never thought he could be half close to.

Of course, Ryu´d always thought of Leon as simple minded, heat levered and impulsive but it´d never really bothered him before, since Ryu´d known Leon seldom thought twice before talking. But now that he´d seen the results of that "impulsivity" way to many times this fifth tournament…

Ryu slowly felt the anger drifting away, replaced by a warm feeling in his chest and stomach as he looked at the person, sitting two seats away from Leon.

Bayman had the same collected look on his face that he had whenever he faced an opponent in the competition and if the argument had irritated or shocked him in any way he didn´t show it.

_I wonder what he´s thinking right now, _Ryu thought as he looked over the smooth face. He knew Bayman must have seen death a million times before, granted his profession but judging by his reaction last evening Ryu couldn´t help wondering if Bayman was really as collected as he looked.

"Now let´s hear your suggestion Ryu"

Ryu woke up from his pondering immediately to look into the weary face of Helena.

"As I said, most of you may not like", Ryu said seriously, "but…"

As the super ninja explained the suggestion he´d been thinking over all day, he was once again observed by unseen eyes.

"_It will be interesting to see where you do with this young one. But not even you can stop me from entering this feast". _

_._

"_How was your meal my child?"_

"_Just delicious, mistress. Who could have known such treats would hide in one such vulgar place". _

"_Is it giving you the power you need?" _

"_You have no idea, mistress. Soon I´ll be strong enough to bring you what you´ve been looking for". _

"_As I said, make no haste. Slow and thorough work brings better result then fast and mindless and we cannot afford to be mindless. Not in a matter as important as this". _

"_Not to worry my Queen. They´re bringing us to a place with even better treats, a place with endless possibilities". _

_._

Negi had a cold feeling down his spine as he switched of his lamp, creeping down in his bed. Konoka and Asuna were already sleeping, their faces witnessing of sweet dreams.

But Negi felt uneasy as if though something horrible was about to take place and he didn´t know what. What Evangeline´d told him today had made him more attentive then usual and somehow he felt as if though he to could feel those tensions in the sferes. Of course he knew that the mere fact she´d brought it up might have triggered his thoughts, but he also knew that his intuition seldom struck wrong. And with those thoughts, the young sensei went to sleep, his dreams taking him places no one should ever have to go.

**Ok! Read chap 2? If you want to read more, you know what you gotta do right? That´s correct; Review! Btw, I get devastatingly few hits to this story so if you have any friends that might be interested in reading this, please inform them that this story´s up. Review speaks well (my first chap already has 3) but hits says WAY more. Anyway, hope you enjoyed D:)**


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